10 Days In Italy

The Ultimate 10 Days in Italy Itinerary

10 days in Italy can be the perfect amount of time to hit the major cities and sites around the country. From Venice to Florence to Rome to the Amalfi Coast, this itinerary will go over it all. Although you will only be in each city for 2-3 days, you are sure to get the full Italy experience and enjoy what this incredible country has to offer. If you prefer to travel more slowly you can also easily skip one of the four cities mentioned and allocate that time to the other three. At the end of the day you will have a once in a lifetime experience as you make your way around this beautiful country.

Before diving into the itinerary be sure to check out the Helpful Tipssection to get you prepared for your trip to Italy. If you plan to stay longer in the country you can also check out the 2 Week Italy ItineraryI put together that builds off of this one.

Two important notes before diving in:

1) I have set up the itinerary to leave early in the morning when going from one city to the next. You can keep it as is, or you can also easily take a later evening train the night prior to avoid the early wakeup. Whatever travel style works for you!

2) The itinerary is set up so you fly into Venice, before training south throughout the country and ultimately departing from Naples. If Naples does not work for your departure, you can also check out flights leaving from Rome.

Need a place to stay in Italy? Browse through some hotel options by city:

Map View

Take a look below at where each city falls on the map. The northern most point is Venice, where you will begin your trip and then make your way down south passing by Florence and Rome before ending up in the Amalfi region. I have also pinned down Pompeii, which you can visit along the way from Rome to the Amalfi Coast, as well as the island of Capri, which you take a day trip to at the end of the itinerary.

10 Days in Italy Detailed Itinerary

​Now lets get on to the actual trip! The following is a detailed breakout of the daily attractions and activities on this 10 day itinerary. Feel free to scroll through and click on any more in depth posts along the way.

Day 1 – Venice

​For the first two days of your Italian adventure you will be wandering the great city of Venice. The great thing about some of the major cities in Italy is the incredible experience of just walking through and getting lost in them. You will find yourself roaming cobblestone streets and taking in great views throughout the whole trip. Venice however is a bit different than probably any city you have been to before as it comprises of a winding maze of canals, streets and squares.

I put together a list of some of the best places to visit in Venice for you to learn more about the city and how to get yourself around. Below are the attractions you can choose to visit on your first day in Italy:

1. Piazza San Marco

2. St Mark’s Basilica

3. St Mark’s Bell Tower

4. Doge’s Palace

5. Peggy Guggenheim Collection

6. The Grand Canal

7. Ponte di Rialto

8. Taking a Gondola Ride

If you have some extra time feel free to just start walking around the streets, alongside the canals, and over bridges. You will pass by plenty of picture worthy spots where you will be able to just relax and enjoy the scenery. Enjoy a nice Venetian dinner before calling it a night and getting ready for day 2.

Take a look at some Italy guide books to better prepare you for your trip

Day 2 – Exploring Venice Part II

On your second day in Venice you will be able to venture a bit further out of the main island area through the Venetian Lagoon to the islands of Murano, Burano and Torcello. The first is known for its glass blowing, the second for its lace making and very colorful buildings, and the third for being where the history of Venice all began. For everything you need to know about these islands check out our day of Exploring Murano, Burano and Torcello.

Day 3 & 4 – Travel & Explore Florence

After two days of exploring Venice and its surroundings it is time to make your way to the Venice train station where you will begin your journey to your next destination of Florence – a city filled with incredible museums, art galleries, viewpoints and gardens. The train ride to Florence should take approximately two hours and you can check the schedule as there should be plenty of trains heading there at all times of day. Try and catch an earlier train so you arrive in Florence by mid morning time and you will have at least a half-day to explore the city. Check into your hotel and grab some lunch before setting out for the remainder of the afternoon.

To get the most out of Florence go ahead and take a look at our Two Days in Florence Travel Guide that can help plan your couple days in the city. Here is a breakout of all the different sites the guide goes over:

Day 5 – Travel to Rome & Vatican City

​After two days in Florence it is time to head to the capital of Italy – Rome. There are plenty of trains all throughout the morning that will take you the 90 or so minutes south. Try and get into Rome earlier than later so you will have more time to enjoy the city. After checking into your hotel and grabbing some lunch it is time to already visit another country – Vatican City! For an in depth guide about this experience check out our writeup of Visiting the Vatican.

Day 6 – Rome Part II

​To begin day 6 of Italy you will make your way all around the city of Rome. You will make stops at The Colosseum, Roman Forum, Palatine Hill, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps and more! To get a better understanding of everything to do check out the One Day in Rome Itinerary.

After 2 or so busy days in Rome, head back to the hotel for the night before departing the capital city in the morning.

Day 7 – Train to Pompeii & Arrival in the Amalfi Coast

This itinerary will now take you from Rome to Pompeii and then onwards to the Amalfi Coast. If you are not interested in heading to Pompeii, then spend the morning of day 7 around Rome, getting in any additional attractions you may want to see such as the Borghese Gardens or Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano. Then head off to the Amalfi Coast via train/bus/even ferry.

If you do decide on Pompeii then you will make your way to the train station where you will catch a train to Naples (a ride that should be about a little over an hour). Once in Naples you will have a couple options – either hop onto the circumvesuviana (local) train line from Naples to Pompeii or you can hop in a cab that will take you there. Either way you will have your luggage with you. No worries though because you can easily leave your luggage at the lockers at the Pompeii train station or at the entrance of Pompeii itself.

As you make your way down by car or train to Pompeii you will see Mt. Vesuvius to your left – a historic volcano that erupted and covered the entire city of Pompeii and its surroundings in volcanic ash back in the year of 79 AD. Nearly 1500 years later, the city was rediscovered as it was preserved over the volcanic ash that covered the city. Now will be your opportunity to visit the archaeological remains of the city and see what life in Pompeii used to be like. There is just so much to see and learn here. You will pass by the ancient forums, baths, theaters, houses, tombs and much more.

You can go about your day here guiding yourself around the ruins using a map or you can hire a guide to give you some more insight into the ruins. If you do walk around on your own there is a great app that can help you through the ruins and be like a personal guide. You can spend as much time as you see fit here. It just depends on your travel plans onwards to Positano later in the day. A good 4-5 hours here will have you seeing a decent portion of the main attractions around the area.

To make it to Positano you can choose from a couple options – local train from Pompeii to Sorrento and then a bus to Positano, or hire a cab to take you the hour or so straight to Positano from Pompeii (more expensive but much easier). You should most likely be arriving in Positano in the evening, just in time to check into your hotel and have a nice dinner. Your next 2-3 days will be a nice and relaxing way to end your trip.

Day 8 – Positano

Once you wake up the next morning you will get to see the colorful buildings making up the Almafi Coast mountainside. You can spend some time walking around the city just relaxing and enjoying the surroundings. As you walk the winding roads you are sure to pass by art galleries, fine dining, and a variety of boutiques. You can then spend some time just laying on the beach and having some well-deserved rest. If you are interested you can also hop on a boat tour or hire a guide to take you around the waters of Amalfi. Spend the rest of the day just enjoying the city of Positano and all it has to offer.

Day 9 – Day Trip to Capri

​Now that you have had some time to relax and enjoy Positano, you can make your way to the nearby island of Capri. Our Perfect Capri Day Trip guide will walk through everything this incredible island has to offer, including the Piazzetta, Augustus Gardens, Faraglioni Rocks, Anacapri, Villa San Michele and Mount Solaro.

Day 10 – Depart to Naples & Head Home

Unfortunately your 10 day trip to Italy is now coming to an end. The easiest option here is to head back to the airport in Naples by taxi. You could also take a bus to Sorrento and then either bus/train to Naples (although longer and a bit less simple to do). If your flight is later in the day then you still might have some time to enjoy Positano – either in the city, on the beach, or in the water, before heading back to Naples.